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EXPLAINS THE FACTS ABOUT MENSTRUATION TO ADOLESCENT GIRLS SIMPLY & UNDERSTANDINGLY. ILLUSTRATES SOUND APPROACHES FOR THOSE MOST APT TO INFLUENCE A YOUNG GIRL'S ATTITUDE TOWARD THE CHANGES OF PUBERTY.
--Molly enthusiastically describes a wedding; neighbors comment on how she is growing up.
--She tries on sister's hat and lipstick
--Mother calmly asks Molly how she feels when she has started her first period
--the "curse"
--Father shows his surprise and his pride
--Plumbing diagrams
--Molly adoringly watches her sister in stunning formal dress leave for a dance, and narrator concludes she is looking forward to being grown up and exciting times
Molly has her first period and receives sympathetic advice and instruction from her mother and school nurse.
Begins with Molly gushing about a wedding and the beautiful bride to two older woman neighbors. "My goodness, Molly is certainly growing up," they say.
School nurse intercepts Molly and friend as they head into school, wants to check on Molly's sore throat. Quick intervention, California-style.
Nurse returns gloves that Molly's mother left over at her house last night; nurse is almost part of family.
Molly in older sister Jeanie's room going through stuff, wearing hat and trying on lipstick. Jeanie is mad but not really. Goes to drawer, pulls out a Modess pad from visibly named box. Molly: "Jeanie, when do you think I'll start having periods, too?" Molly is worried she is behind her friends. Sister: "So what? Some start earlier, some later. We're all different. From the way you've been acting lately, shouldn't be long now."
Molly comes home from school. Mom is in kitchen.
"Mom, guess what?"
"I don't know, what?"
"Mom, I started my first period."
"Well, whaddaya you know. C'mon, sit down, tell me about it." (spoken with greatest of interest, putting mixing bowl down, etc.)
."...Well, my goodness. How do you feel?" (concern)
"Tonight will be mother and daughter conference night."
...
[mother shakes head and says "Gol-ly..., smiles]
mother gives private lecture to Molly on normality, etc.
"it's just part of being a woman, I guess..."
"Well, if you sit and stand straight, that'll give the organs inside your body room to function better, and that'll make you feel better."
Mother warns against swimming first 2 or 3 days after start of your period, Molly says sanctimoniously about how she has the curse.
Mom: "You know, I've often wondered why it is that some women still call menstruation the curse."
Mom to Dad (with Molly's permission): "Well, Jim, Molly's growing up. She's having her first menstrual period."
Dad: "What? already? Oh, but Alice, I thought...well, I mean, after all, she's only..."
Dad relents...
Nurse: "she's changing from a child into an adult, and it's a little confusing at times..."
Nurse substitutes for another sick teacher...
"menstruation is just the natural, normal process leading up to being a mother."
[diagrams]
nurse explains sanitary napkins...
shows elastic belt
some girls prefer to use tampons
"But you should be more careful than ever about personal cleanliness and daintiness. Change your underwear more often, and be sure to use a deodorant. And pay more attention to your hair and your nails. And plan to wear your prettiest dress. In other words, be your most attractive self."
"Do" and "Do moderately" chart
nurse gives out booklets for kids to read.
narrator: "Soon, Molly will be a young woman like her sister Jeanie, having dates, going to dances in lovely, romantic dresses, and making new and important friends. There are so many wonderful things to look forward to... Growing up, it's an exciting time."
From Ed Screen April 1954:
[the committee appraisal]
"This film provides a calm, forthright, faithful, and sympathetic portrayal of a girl's experiences connected with the growing-up process. Dealing as it does with both the biological and social aspects of menstruation, the film should be useful in explaining to adolescents the menstruation process and allaying their fear. Parents should find the film helpful in suggesting ways of handling their daughter's questions about menstruation and developing desirable attitudes toward the whole process of growing up. Both groups should also find the film effective for stimulating group discussion.
"Parents and teen-agers, the previewing committee felt, would easily identify themselves with the protagonists and situations in the film. The incidental references to the sponsor's products do not seem to detract from the value of the film. The naturalness of the characters, the universal importance of the information and questions, and the clear, crisp explanations should enhance the teaching value of the film."
Danger Lurks Safety
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Reviews
Subject: Gosh!...If Only I Wrote The Script
Mollie: Jeanie...When do you think I'll have my first period? Will I collapse in a pool of blood, right in the front of the class like Denise did?
Jeanie: Well, the way you're acting, won't be long now. Better double up those One A Days with iron, you'll need it babe.
Mollie: What's iron?
Jeanie: What's iron? What's A leppo..I don't fuckin' know. I'm here on earth to breed and go through all the crap that goes with it. Now give me that Kotex and get the fuck out of my room!
2 weeks later (right after the big announcement)
Mollie: Mom...can I have one of those cookies you're baking?
Mother: No, Mollie, eating cookies and other sweets on the first day of your period could cause you to bloat. Remember Jeanie not being able to button her jeans?
Mollie: Ohhhh Mom...Jeanie just had some gas from the kapusta you served for dinner that day. A little ol' cookie ain't gonna turn me into a hippopotamus!
Mother: Mollie, sit up straight!
Mollie: Oh, Mom. I'm comfortable.
Mother: Now Mollie, it's important to sit up straight. [Mother attains an authoritative stance and gets a "professorial" look and tone of voice] ... That's so your organs are arranged like they are on an anatomy mannikin. Slouching is bad. You'll wind up with a tipped uterus ...like your Aunt Martha has. That's why she can't have babies.
Mollie: Ohhh, OK.
[phone rings]
Mollie: Mom? Can I go swimming with Miss Jenson after school tomorrow? I promise, no hickey on my chest, and I'll insist on using a separate shower this time. I'll be home by 5:30.
Mother: No, Mollie, you shouldn't swim on the first few days after you come si--ick..., ah, er... I mean, the first few days of your period. You can get cramps. Remember that bit about Jeanies friend Elaine? She collapsed from cramps right in the front of the study hall! That was right after swimming class. Now, sit up straight!
Mollie: Ohhh, mom.
Mother: Never mind, you. Now get upstairs and get in bed. I'll be in there with an assburn, and a hot water bottle for your tummy as soon as I get done hemming this rag-----er, ah...dress.
Mollie: Oh..Mom, by the way, Miss Jenson, in her usual deep, brusque tone, told me to make sure you get me a box of 48 napkins, and, oh!... to be sure they're Modess brand. And she told me to make sure to change them 10 times a day.
Mother: (silent, to herself, shaking her head, eyes toward ceiling) Oh, that crazed dame!
[Narrator] Mollie was kept home from school the next 2 days, and after Mother insisted that those were in fact, cramps, Mollie actually believed it.
Mollie loved those 2 days off of school every month. Kept in bed and waited on hand and foot like a queen. (said Mollie, a year later "I still don't get why they call it "the curse.")
Subject: Coming Sick - What Girls Need To Know
Cute film that treats this embarassingly touchy-feely topic in a very tasteful manner. I liked Molly's parents and that older sister Jeannie is a real tart. Frankly, at this point, Mollie's tits are already as big as Jeannie's (look carefully). No wonder Jeannie is so feisty toward little sister.
Coming sick is presented here in a manner appropriate to quell the tendency some girls had towards "overdoing it."
And girls, as far as advice...one other thing to note, ...it IS a good idea to wear your prettiest dress (or slacks) during that time of the month...but nursie forgot to tell 'em the important part - DON'T WEAR WHITE SLACKS!
Definitely one of the best films on this site!
Subject: Well done
Subject: Miss Jensen and Molly's mother???
Subject: Menarche - In Other Lands Its a Village Celebration!
But her family makes such a big deal about Mollies menarche you'd think Mother was gonna put the cookie dough aside and start defrosting a Swifts Premium turkey and Pa's gonna put up the Christmas lights.
It is important to remember that this film was made in a day and age when young girls actually believed the stories they heard about a girl collapsing in a pool of blood right in the middle of her classroom; or that so and so had such bad cramps that she crawled into a wastebasket in the hallway.
BTW Mollie is obviously Protestant; otherwise mom woulda sent her straight up to bed and gave her a hot water bottle to put on her tummy and kept her home from school the next day.
But what's wrong with having a little fun telling girls to forgo square dancing and not to go swimming during the curse. Makes sense to me. And wearing your prettiest dress is never a bad idea. You never know when that boy of your dreams is gonna appear out of thin air...and you better be prepared, bleeding or not.
Who couldnt just adore this lovely film?
Subject: who wrote this?
from watching this film is that it was written by a Martian or other space traveler whom is most unfamiliar with humans.
1) Sit strait and with good posture so that your internal organs will operate at their most efficient. Clearly, only an extraterrestrial would know this.
2) When menstruating it is important to avoid warm water and to bathe with only cold water.
Maybe this is true on Mars.
3) Positively no square dancing.
Clearly Martians hate square dancing.
Subject: Oh brother.
Apparently being a jerk means you're too busy cackling to listen to what the movie actually SAYS. Like the thing about square dancing. The nurse said not to engage in sports that were too strenuous.
Now either everyone who comments on this is in menopause or one of the distaff circle jerkees, but when I first got my period, I was in freaking agony from cramps. Climbing a set of stairs seemed like an Olympic event; I sure as hell wasn't thinking about square dancing! (Well, I never thought about square dancing, but that's another post.)
I also thought the mother and father's reaction wasn't overwrought. It was kind of sweet, and not unexpected. Getting her period is a sign their daughter, the baby in the family, is growing up. I can see why her parents had a reaction to it, because it also means they're getting older. Life moves on, yeah, but it's that often you get such an obvious marker for it like a girl starting to get her period.
Honestly, this film is more mature than a lot of the morons who comment on it.
Subject: So, Molly's Mom and the School Nurse are Knockin' Stockin's??
Subject: Molly's Dumbed Down
Subject: GAHHHH-LEEEE!
Subject: This family is creepy... PERIOD!
Subject: I'm glad I wasn't born then
I mean compared to the "Boys grow up" this movie is more negetive. Poor girl doesn't get to discusse her sexual desires, everyone just pretends they aren't there. The boys in their film get to have fun in a little circle jerk.
I find the girl talking about marriege creepy. I know as soon as I started my period, I was planning my wedding. Or maybe Molly is just planning to get married to get that sexual fustration out that everyone ingores.
Subject: somewhere...a square dancer is weeping
But then...THEN we heard "no square dancing," and I couldn't bear it anymore. The news was too heart-wrenching. Our little girl HAS grown up.
Subject: Not as bad as it's reputation
Having a parent who started HER cycle around the time this film was made adds an odd window to how SHE had to deal with it. In particular, the odd straps the girls were supposed to wear to secure pads. Thank goodness for wings!
Subject: This film has balls!
Subject: Let's tell Dad!
Subject:
This is the companion film to "As Boys Grow," both written and produced by D.M. Hatfield. And it's quite clear, from his point of view, that girls end up with the short end of the stick. This film's seriousness about menstuation makes "As Boys Grow" seem light-hearted and cavalier by comparison. This film is such a downer! The boys literally get the "have fun, go ahead and masturbate!" message where girls get the "don't go square dancing!" message. Not to mention this film in no way addresses male sexuality (yet the boys learn about female sexuality!), nor does it address sexuality in any way that, you know, it may actually be a good thing. A woman's sexuality is presented as something to be endured, not enjoyed. A very dated film. I mean really, was there EVER a time when classrooms had "During Menstruation..." posters?
Also notable:
* Joe Miksak who plays the borderline swinging coach in "As Boys Grow" plays the reticent, quiet, conservative father in this film. Very telling of the contrasting attitudes towards male vs. female sexuality of the two films by Hatfield.
* The production standards are actually fairly high for a film of its type. The performances are corny but reliable, with Molly's mother probably being the best performer of the bunch.
* "Do in moderation: square dancing." I think that sums it up pretty well.
Subject: Molly is hot
They neglected to mention that frequent sex is a good way to regulate your cycle. Use that thing Molly!
Subject: Molly Grows Up
Ratings: Camp/Humor Value: ****. Weirdness: ***. Historical Interest: *****. Overall Rating: ****. Also available on Mental Hygiene.
Subject: Swimming with period can cause you to catch cold!
